9th July: Is your internet working?

Four months ago we updated you with DNSChanger Trojan, which was supposed to effect internet service around the world and how FBI was supposed to shutdown the internet, then we updated you how FBI got four additional months to secure internet from DNSChanger malware.

The four months are over now as there are warnings issued on Facebook, Google and other big websites by FBI which is about losing the internet connection this week. According to FBI, Thousands of people may lose internet connectivity if their computers have been infected by Malicious Software in 2007. To check whether your computer has been infected by that malicious Software or not, FBI has setup a website.FBI recommends to scan your computers through this website in order to have the internet working smootly. Despite of sending alerts repeatedly on different social networking websites, the computers which are probably affected by this malware are more than 277,000 worldwide, down from about 360,000 in April. People whose computers are still infected and they are not running the scan will not be able to access internet and for recovery, they will have to call their respective Internet Service Providers, get the malware deleted and get reconnected to the internet.

This problem started when an international group of hackers ran a scam advertisement to hack about 570,000 computers around the globe. FBI located that hacker group and went to take them down last year. During the operation, FBI realized that if they turned off the malicious server which was used to control the computers, all the people who have clicked that Scan advertisement will lose internet connectivity. A highly unusual step was taken. FBI brought in a private company to install two new and clean Internet servers to take over for the malicious servers so that people do not lose their Internet suddenly but this temporary system will have to be shut down on Monday 9th July, 2012, at 12:01 am EDT (0401 GMT). To clarify this shut down of servers, FBI released a clarification statement which is:

“To assist victims affected by the DNSChanger malicious software, the FBI obtained a court order authorizing the Internet Systems Consortium (ISC) to deploy and maintain temporary clean DNS servers. This solution is temporary, providing additional time for victims to clean affected computers and restore their normal DNS settings. The clean DNS servers will be turned off on July 9, 2012, and computers still impacted by DNSChanger may lose Internet connectivity at that time.”

This malicious software has already infected the computers of the victims although they do not know but this software has already slowed their internet, their computers and has disabled their AntiVirus Softwares to make their computers more vulnerable to other problems.

Accoding to an FBI supervisory agent “Tom Grasso”, “Many internet service providers are ready to face this problem and have set up plans to help their customers in this regard.” Comcast has already reached out. Grasso further said “Other Internet providers may come up with some solutions that they will put in place Monday that will either correct the problem or provide information to customers when they complain about the internet. Correction of the server by the ISP will solve thisproblem but the malicious software will not be removed by this and the victim’s computer will still be vulnerable for other attacks.”

Not only individuals are infected by this malware but Grasso said 50 Fortune 500 companies have also been infected by this.

To check your computer’s status FBI has developed a website which will scan your computer and will give the details in no time. This scan is completely free and after you open the website it will show “Malware Checker”. Scroll down to see different links and click your language. Your computer will be scanned and the results will be given. If the result is a RED Screen, your computer is infected and if it is a GREEN Screen, your computer is not infected.

If you want to find out whether your network router or whether your computer or network router is infected withDNSChanger virus, kindly visit the solution link. If the solution link shows your DNS Resolution = GREEN, that means your system is safe. Had your computer been infected with DNS changer malware you would have seen a red background.

Waqas

Waqas Amir is a Milan-based cybersecurity journalist with a passion for covering latest happenings in cyber security and tech world. In addition to being the founder of this website, Waqas is also into gaming, reading and investigative journalism.

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